Solitude

Chapter Nineteen- Expensive saunas and Motherly hugs

When we arrived back at camp, Carver led us through groups of individuals, each more comforting to see as their oddities became more apparent. The camp stretched out farther than I originally saw, parts dividing into other medium sized camps a ways away, behind other groupings of trees. Assumably spread out as to not draw too much attention to one giant spot.

Life thrived everywhere I looked. I began recognizing a few familiar faces, not many, but enough to console me in knowing a good amount of these people came from our Facility.

I smiled at everyone I thought I knew, so many of them whispering my name and just staring. By the time we got to the showers, a quarter of the camp had gone completely silent, watching us— me walk self consciously. I let my crunchy hair flow down to cover the sides of my face, beginning to panic with the amount of attention brought upon me. Carver had gotten most of the blood, but not all of it. Did I really look that horrible? I guess the amount of blood still caked on me would make any heads turn. Still, it didn't make me any less nervous.

When we finally got to the showers, I peeked in the woman's side first, to see if they had stalls or open showers while Carver checked the men's.

Stalls on this side, thank god.

I poked my head out of the door again to see Carver's response, waiting excitedly for him.

"We've got open ones on this side." He said, coming back around to me and smiling broadly at my discovery. "Now we wait for the clean clothes."

Rock outcroppings right between the men's and woman's doors, resting against the wood building, made for a perfect place to sit and wait. People still stared as they walked past, but other than that, we sat in a comfortable silence. My head rested on Carver's shoulder, our hands locked together on his lap, his thumb rubbing mine soothingly. I rested my eyes, just listening to all the nature noises semi-blocked by the one omitting from the camp.

"I like the way your hand fits in mine." Carver declared, wrapping his hand around mine tighter, completely obscuring it from view, like a child's almost.

I chuckled, scooting my body closer to his until we knocked knees. Heat rolled off his skin everywhere I touched, licking but never burning. Soft flutters of warmth from him made me more at ease, the comfort of just being near him is soothing.

"You're cheesy." I sniffed, cheeks as red as my roots. My toes curled on their own accord.

"Would you rather I go back to being a sarcastic ass?"

A huff left me, remembering how mean he used to be, not just with me. "No, you can stay like this for a little while longer." I grinned and closed my eyes again when he laughed lowly.

"Oh, may I?" His tone turned playfully aggressive at my own laugh and I could feel his head shift to look down at me.

"You may." I screeched when his unoccupied hand shot out and tickled my side, holding me hostage by our locked hands. My muscles instinctually tensed until I turned into a tight ball of red and white hair, head nearly tucked between my knees. I could hardly hear his hearty cackling over my own unrestrained raucous braying, easily beginning to get out of breath.

"Okay!" I screamed between laughs, "I give up! I give up!" My chest audibly wheezed when he eased off, lungs still sore from yesterday. I leant my face into his bicep, stray bursts of laughter escaping him now and then, a goofy smile splitting against both our faces.

"You look like you're having fun." Volney joked, smiling from ear to ear as he hiked up towards us. He looked cleaned and dressed in normal clothing: a slightly too tight grey t-shirt and jeans. Somehow, he found another pair of heavy work boots, almost identical to the ones he wore down in the Facility. I snickered, glad he didn't get too changed by his minimal experience.